Moral and Religious Education

Abstract

Kohlberg's developmental theory of moral reasoning postulates a supremely adequate form of moral thinking to which all other stages are tending, labelled Stage Six. Kohlberg identifies this with a principle of justice, though without adequately justifying the elimination of other autonomous universal principles. The claim that this principle provides consistent, reversible and universalizable moral judgements is criticized: by itself a purely formal principle of justice can provide no particular moral judgements at all; for that we need independent values, such as the value of life which Kohlberg appeals to, but does not justify, in his discussions of the Heinz dilemma. More generally there is no reason to expect that any form of moral reasoning will be supremely adequate in Kohlberg's sense, providing a solution to all moral problems and dilemmas. The principle of justice is merely one among the many specifically moral principles which Kohlberg locats at Stage Five, albeit the one which he personally happens to favour.

Perhaps the most striking feature of Lawrence Kohlberg's many accounts of his cognitive‐developmental theory of moral reasoning is the crucial importance which he attaches to the form of reasoning labelled Stage Six, when it is a stage of development that only a tiny minority of individuals actually attain. Indeed it appears that even that number has had to be revised downward in the light of changes to the theory and scoring system, until it begins to seem that only a handful of saints and heroes, such as Socrates or Martin Luther King, remain. In fact so slender is the empirical evidence for a separate form of Stage Six reasoning that the official scoring manual (Kohlberg et al., 1977) prefers to ignore it altogether. Clearly, then, the case for Stage Six must be almost wholly theoretical, not to say philosophical, as the supremely adequate form of moral thinking to which all other stages are tending. And by the same token it may seem that criticisms of Kohlberg's claims for Stage Six will leave the rest of the theory untouched. But that, I think, is to underestimate the significance of Stage Six. It is the apogee of his system, providing both a focus and a rationale for the stage‐development that allegedly leads to it; it is as crucial to the theory as Kohlberg's own writings make it. Without Stage Six the cognitive‐developmental account stands in need of radical re‐thinking, to put it no higher.     

Moral Judgement Development Within the Family

Abstract

This paper examines research and theory regarding the process of moral judgement development within the family environment. Four major issues in research on the family's influence on moral judgement development are outlined and the existing data relevant to these issues are briefly presented. The author's approach to studying these issues is described. The implications of research on moral development within the family for moral education are also addressed.     

Moral and Religious Education for Nigeria

Abstract

The paper considers moral and religious education programmes appropriate for Nigeria. Starting with a brief analysis of the current crisis in moral, spiritual and political beliefs, the paper progresses by analysing traditional Nigerian education and the approach to moral education which it advocated. It then analyses the epistemological underpinnings of traditional moral education as well as the social institutions supporting it. A brief section outlining certain shortcomings in traditional education follows. This is then followed by a consideration of contemporary approaches to both moral and religious education by focussing on the question of the possible independence of moral from religious education. Having agreed with certain writers that the two are independent, the paper concludes with a sub‐section on the aims of moral education as a distinct activity.     

认知式德育与信仰式德育的失衡——兼论我国高校德育的困境与出路

信仰式德育是一种理想、信念和信仰道德教育,它能够促使学生领悟道德的终极价值,实现从“知”到“信”、从他律向自律的提升与转化。信仰式德育的弱化甚至缺位是当前高校德育陷入知行分离和实效性低迷等困境的重要原因。为解决这一问题,应确认信仰式德育在教育体系中的独立地位,实现认知导向与信仰建构的有机统一。     

道德判断评估的方法综述

道德判断作为道德认知机能,是位于心理连续量之中的一个主观性判断过程。道德判断成为人们的感兴趣研究项目,道德判断能力评估的方法也越来越多。     

Kadimah: The Pursuit of Scholastic Excellence and Religious Commitment

This study uses phenomenological analysis to examine the perceptions of students attending a supplementary Hebrew school in a New England suburb. These students have ambivalent feelings about being Jewish. They equate being Jewish with being different, and they believe being Jewish has only a minor effect on their lives. They perceive the goals of Hebrew school on three levels: 1) The immediate level of learning prayers, learning about their religion, and learning Hebrew; 2) The long term goal of Bar/Bat Mitzvah; and 3) The ultimate goal of transmitting Jewish traditions to future generations. Their perceptions about Hebrew school differ markedly and range from boring to fun. Positive aspects of Hebrew school mentioned by all students include socializing and informality of classes. A negative aspect was the inconvenience of the Hebrew school schedule. Implications drawn from this study are that the Hebrew school ought to strive to maintain practical goals and a flexible curriculum, classroom environment, and school schedule.     

A New Way of Scoring Moral Judgement Interviews

Abstract

Two studies of the categorization of justifications for the morality of the actions of others are reported. Justifications were categorized using a scoring scheme not previously reported. Results showed that a reasonable degree of inter‐rater reliability could be achieved and that developmental trends detected were robust with respect both to interviewers and interview content, although interview content had an expected and comprehensible effect on the frequency of items within content categories. Results were interpreted within the context of a model of the development of moral reasoning that emphasizes the influence of the social focus of the interviewee and the process by which individuation occurs towards either a secular or a religious view of morality. The notion that a more differentiated individuation may also occur within each of these categories was explored, as were, shifts from paternalism to autonomous decision‐making in thinking about some areas of social life.     

论道德判断的质和量的标准及其真理性

本文通过对道德判断的分析,批判地指出1.对任何一种行为进行正确地道德判断都必须结合行为者的动机和行动的效果才能作出;2.一种行为道德与否不仅有质的差别,而且有量的差别,善恶的程度受行为主体和行为受体特征影响,对一种行为的奖惩应与善恶的程度相适应;3.道德判断是关系的判断,道德真理是一种具有主观性的客观真理,对一种行为的道德判断的真理性具有唯一性而非多样性.     

会计职业判断的制度环境与道德风险

会计人员的职业判断在整个会计规范体系的执行过程中居于最直接、最主动的核心地位，但会计职业判断也会引发道德风险。对于会计职业判断道德风险的发生原因，过去的讨论一般都局限于会计人员自身道德素质的分析。本则从制度环境与道德风险的一般关系原理出发，结合我国企业会计的具体制度环境，论述了会计制度环境导致会计职业判断道德风险的现实性，并且在揭示问题成因的基础上，给出道德风险控制的具体对策。     

The Role of Christians in Religious and Moral Education

Abstract

All sectarian organizations in a pluralistic society must be uncertain about their role in religious and moral education. Christianity is used as an example to illustrate the dilemma in which such groups find themselves. It is argued that, besides joining in a collective search for public criteria of reason and truth in this area, Christianity has a number of more positive roles unique to itself: to put its particular case forcefully and not ashamedly to pupils, to offer the contexts of education which religion has successfully used over nearly two thousand years (e.g. the confessional), and to bring out the accumulated insight and wisdom which have validity quite apart from their doctrinal setting. Christians should not resign their role to modern sociologists and psychologists, but should emphasize their unique contributions more strongly..     

Commitment and Relatedness: How College Students Use Religious Coping to Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is a common symptom among college counseling clients. Perhaps because of the unique developmental tasks they face, many later adolescents (ages 18–24 years) use religious coping to manage anxiety. Many counselors are uncertain about how to address religious themes in therapy, if at all. However, most clients of faith do not want counselors to ignore their religious beliefs. In fact, later adolescents may use faith‐based coping mechanisms to navigate the challenges of their developmental stage.     

从《左传》看春秋时期的道德判断

周初“德承天命”思想发展至春秋时期,形成了以“德”为核心、复杂的道德判断体系,并作为春秋时期社会意识形态的普遍现象,规范、约束着人们的社会关系和社会生活。《左传》中所见春秋时期的道德判断,对“德”之地位、内涵、价值和功能,从认识与实践上都体现出了高度的自觉。     

Social,Moral and Religious Attitudes of Secondary School Students

In Australian schools, "inclusion" is a term that is used to challenge a previously narrow focus on students with disabilities and their integration within and distribution amongst "mainstream" schools and classrooms. Nevertheless, this article argues that, as a concept, "inclusion" requires further broadening and deepening, particularly in arenas of practice, if it is to serve the interests of all students. Informed by notions of recognitive justice, the paper advocates rethinking inclusion to accommodate student differences in more socially just ways - emphasising students' contributions rather than their disabilities - and what this means for the organisation of classrooms and schools. Within the article, research data are focused primarily on students with learning disabilities and draw on twenty semi-structured interviews conducted with parents and teachers across six Australian state primary and secondary schools. Three sets of conditions are proposed as necessary for inclusive classroom and school processes: specifically, those that promote self-identity and respect, self expression and development and selfdetermination and decision-making.     

宗教和谐观对和谐德育的启示

宗教和谐现有着丰富的思想内涵,对于自然界的和谐、人与自然的和谐、人与人的和谐以及人心身和谐都有独到的见解.宗教和谐观对和谐德育的理念、内容、方法、环境,都具有一定的启示性和借鉴作用.     

Moral Education at Religious Research Universities: Exploring Faculty Attitudes

This article presents the results and an analysis of 1,728 survey responses from faculty at four top tier religious research universities regarding their support for moral and civic education. The results demonstrate that a majority of faculty members at these schools supported both the general goals of moral and civic education and specific suggestions for integrating moral and civic education into the curriculum. Nonetheless, three major concerns emerged about its actual implementation into the curriculum.